Mariah Woods Update: Grand jury indicts mother’s boyfriend for MURDER after little girl is found dead from chloroform poisoning

A North Carolina man accused of killing a toddler and hiding her body in water was indicted for murder by an Onslow County grand jury on Wednesday.

The Fayetteville Observer reports that Earl Kimrey, charged last month with the murder of Jacksonville toddler Mariah Woods, was indicted on the following felony charges.

  • First-degree murder
  • Common law obstruction of justice
  • Child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury
  • Burglary
  • Larceny
  • Concealment of death
  • Possession of stolen property

As CrimeOnline previously reported, authorities found Mariah at the bottom of Shelter Creek in Pender County, just 20 minutes away from her Jacksonville home, in early December. Kimrey, the boyfriend of Kristy Hunter, the child’s mother, was charged in connection with the little girl’s death.

Earl Kimrey
Earl Kimrey/Mariah Woods [Police Handout/Family Handout]
Hunter reported Mariah missing on November 27. She said she checked on the toddler around 10 p.m. the previous night, but when she woke up, Mariah was gone. After finding the little girl’s lifeless body in the creek, a medical examiner later determined she died from chloroform poisoning.

So far, only Kimrey has been charged in connection with Mariah’s death. However, authorities indicated that the investigation is far from over.

Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

[Feature Photo: Mariah Woods/Handout]